Frame unit and bracket structure



y 1956 A. e. PARKE 2,744,714

FRAME UNIT AND BRACKET STRUCTURE Filed Dec. 27, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet J.

M Fm 1 W 7 Z N f INVENTOR. H/fnsd G. Par/re BY 0% A T TOR/V575 May 8, 1956 A. G. PARKE 2,744,714

FRAME UNIT AND BRACKET STRUCTURE Filed Dec. 27, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 g/II'IIII 32 /4 L? in 1 F a m 15.

3/ I INVENTOR.

Alfred G. Par/re By 0" 0M 14 TZ'ORNEYS iwd States;

j 3Claims. (Cl. 248-245) This invention relates to structural shapes particularly useful as stud or beam members, as shelf-supporting bracket members, and for other purposes in merchandise display equipment, wall structures or the like. a The primary object of the invention is the provision of a strong and durable structural member capable of a mul-. tiplicity of uses in various structures, and particularly in a merchandise display unit whereby to facilitate easy and quick setting up orknocking down of such structure. Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and preferred embodiments thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which. I "-Fig; l is a perspective view of a wall and display unit embodying the invention, with parts broken away; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a structural unit embodying the invention, with a part broken away; Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-section on'the' line 3- 3 in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of such unit with a bracket arm attached thereto and itself embodying one of said'structural units; Fig. '5 is an enlarged cross-section on the line 5--5 in Fig. 4,- and in .a partiallydisassembled condition; and .Fig. 6 is; an enlarged cross-section of an alternative form of 'a structural .unit of the invention.

? Referringto the drawings, 11 designates a structural unit. embodying. the. invention and which in .Fig. 1u'is shown as comprising the frame members of a partition like structure 12 which may be part of a merchandise display unit, as illustrated.

The structural unit 11 (Figs. 2 and 3) is of channelbar form substantially U-shape in cross-section with its opposed side walls or flanges 13, 13 each provided at or near its free edge with a U-shaped reentrant portion 14. Each portion 14 forms an outwardly opening side channel 15 throughout its length which parallels the main channel 16 of the unit and has its opening transverse thereto. The bottom or cross webs of the side channel portions 14 are spaced to provide a restricted opening or neck portion 17 for the channel 16.

The unit 11 is preferably but not necessarily generally rectangular in cross-section, with the inner and outer leg or side wall portions of the channels 15 respectively aligned with those of the opposed channel and parallel to the web or bottom member of the main channel 16. The outer legs of the side channels 15 preferably terminate flush with the outer side lines of the main channel sides 13.

The side channels 15 may serve various purposes, one of which is that of receiving and holding adjacent edges of wall panel strips or members 20, as indicated in Fig. 1, while the restricted neck form of the main channel 16 facilitates attaching other elements thereto, as hereinafter described.

An alternative form of structural unit 11B is shown in Fig. 6. The unit 11B is generally of channel bar form, with its opposed side walls or flanges 13B, 13B each provided at or near its free edge with a U-shaped reentrant portion 14B. Each portion 14B forms an outwardly opening side channel 15B throu out its length which parallels the main channel 168 of the unit and has its opening transverse thereto. The bottom or crosswebs' of the side channel portions 14B are spaced to providea restricted opening or neck portion 17B for the channel- 16B. The web or bottom portion of the channel 163 has a. U-shaped reentrant portion 18B of channel form which opens posteriorly with-respect to the neck opening 17B. The channels 15B and 18B, of the unit 11B.are all analogous to the channels 15 of the unit 11, and'may' serve'various purposes in the same manner.

In Fig. 1 the units 11 of the-wall structure '12 are shown as having brackets. 25 attached theretofor sup-: porting shelves 26, which'may constitute part of a merchandise display unit or structure. .Each bracket 25, in the'present instance; as shown in Fig. 4, includestas its body a bar 27- whichconstitutes a suitable length ofa channel unit 11 with its. channel opening 17 facing upward. The inner end of the bar is attached by weldingor otherwise to the edge flanges 28 of a channeled clamping member,29. The bar is also braced relative to the member 29 by a triangular flange 30 attached to a side of the bar 27z and at its broad end to the face of a registering. flange-28 of the member29. Suchattaching is preferably, ,by. welding. The channel portion of the member 29is of an outside width adapting it to-fit into the restricted channel opening 17 .of a structural unit ll and its bottom is apertured to receive a bolt'or threaded stem-31 that carriesat its inner end an oblong plate 32 which when turned in one position is freely movable through the opening 17, and when in another position engages under the neck restricting-portion 14 of the unit, as shown in Figs. 4. and 5. The bracket arms. are thus prevented fromturning relative to the channel units 11 and project rigidly therefrom. i. The shelves 26 may be secured to the bracket bars 27 by clips 33 attached to the undersides of the shelves and having inturned under flanges or lips 34 engaging in the registering side channels of the bar, which channels .are here designated 15*. .These clips-may he slipped length-- wise onto'the bracket barfrom its outer'end.

The structural units 11 may also serve as cross members in a structure 12 to connect one or more of the units 11 thereto, and in such case may serve to hold divider plates 36 in desired positions over a shelf, as shown in Fig. 1. These cross members are designated 11 and may serve to receive in the side channels thereof the respective upper and lower edges of vertically separated panel sections 20. The major channel of a mem-- The cross-bars 11 are attached at each end to a respective upright member 11 by means of a clip 40 which interengages with the restricted channel neck of both members and is attached thereto by respective clamping elements.

Thebottom or platform member 42 (Fig. 1) is shown as attached at its rear or inner edge to a cross-bar 11" of the wall structure 12 by hooked fingers 43 which are fixed to the member 42 and have hooked engagement within the body channel thereof through its restricted neck opening. The front or outer end of the member 42 may have one or more adjustable. supports 44. In Fig. 1 a cross-bar 11 is disposed at the lower ends of the vertical bars or units 11 and connected thereto by clips 40. The bar 11 also receives in the upper one of its side channels-the'lower-edges of respective vertical panels 10,..and in its lower side channel the upper edge of a foot panel 20 which, in the present instance, rests at its lower edge on a floor or other subjacent support.

The clamping clips or fastening means 29, 37 and 40 areidescribed and claimed in -a co-pending application Serial No. 263,669, filed December 27, 1951.

I wishitunderstood that my invention is not limited toany specific construction, arrangement or form of the parts as it is capableof numerous modifications and changes without departing 'from the spirit of the claims.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent, is': a a

1. In a frame unit and support structure which includes at' least one upright-structural member, and a support carried by said member, the improvement comprisinga structural member generally of channel form comprising :a web and side walls, and two angle reentrant portions, each forming internal and external shoulders extending lengthwise of the member, said angle reentrant portions comprising arms extending inwardly from the free'edges of :said side walls which are generally parallel to the web, and arms extending outwardly from the free edges :of :said first named arms which are generally parallel to the side walls and form a restricted side channel openings-together with a support comprising a support-ing part and an engaging means structurally integral with said supporting part, and'at an angle thereto, said engaging means, having a generally flat body member and a channel shaped project-ionzextending lengthwisethereof and seated in the restrictedside opening of said structural member, and a clamping means inserted through an opening-in the rear wall of said projection and turned into la retainer, said retainer having a minimum longitudinal dimens'ion greater than the inside spread of said arms :forming the restricted opening of said structural memberand a maximum transverse dimension no greater than the inside spread of said arms and extending transversely of said structural member and engaging the internalshou'l'ders formed by said arms generally parallel to the web.

2. In a frame unit and support structure which includes at least one upright structural member, and a support carried by said member, the improvement wherein the structural member consists of a main channel composed ofa weband side walls-and two channeled reentrant portions, each forming internal shoulders and external side channels having webs and side walls extending lengthwise of said members, the free edge of one side wall of each of said side channels being structurally integral with the free edge of one of the side walls of said main channel, and the web and side walls of said side channels being parallel, respectively, to the sidewalls 'and web of said main channel, and a support comprising a supporting part and an engaging means structurally integral with said supporting part, and at an angle thcreto, said engaging means having a generally flat body member and a channel shaped projection extending lengthwise thereof and seated betweenthe webs .of theuside opening of said structural element, and aflixed thereto by a clamping means inserted through an opening in the rear wall of said projection and turned into a retainer, said retainer having a minimum longitudinal dimension greater than the inside spread :of the webs of said side channels'and a maximum'transverse dimension no greater than the in side spread of said webs, and extending transversely or said structural member and engaging fhe internal shouldersformed by said side channels.

3. A support iorengagement with a structural member generally of channel form having a restricted channel opening, which support comprises a supporting member a ndzan engaging means structurally integral with said supporting amemben-and -at an angle thereto, said engaging means -having agenerallyflat body member with a channel shaped projection extending lengthwise thereof and adapted for seating in the restricted channel opening of a structural member, and means adapted forclamping said engaging means on a structural member.

References Cited in the ,file of .thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS 569,270 Winslow :et a1. Oct. 13, 18-96 11,821,083 Visel Sept. 1, 1931 1,824,243 Thies Sept. 22, 1931 2,013,763 Olsen Sept. 10, 19-35 2,580,334 Vanderveld Dec. 25, 1951 2,644,591 McMahan Jul-y 7, 1953 

